Updated: August 2, 2025 · Deadline: November 30, 2025
Quick take
Oncor’s 2025 solar incentive offers a time-limited opportunity to reduce effective cost of commercial rooftop solar installations—especially when combined with a PPA structure that requires zero upfront CapEx. Business owners need to confirm eligibility, submit required documentation, and lock in system design before November 30 to capture the full value. This guide gives you the exact steps, common pitfalls, and a sample savings sketch.
1. What the Incentive Is & Who Qualifies
Oncor’s 2025 solar incentive is designed to accelerate commercial solar adoption in its service territory by offering a performance or capacity-based rebate (details vary by program update). It can meaningfully reduce your effective $/kWh when paired with a PPA—you pay only for energy, while the incentive lowers the notional cost behind the scenes, improving the economics without adding risk to your balance sheet.
Who typically qualifies:
- Commercial property owners or tenants with rooftop space in Oncor territory
- Facilities with consistent daytime load (warehouses, manufacturing, large offices)
- Customers able to execute before the cut-off of November 30, 2025
Systems financed through a PPA still qualify because the incentive is applied at the project level—USSE structures capture that value and folds it into better PPA pricing or supplemental credits to you as the buyer of energy.
2. Critical Timeline & Deadlines
Key dates to hit:
- Now–Early November: Site assessment, PPA structuring, and preliminary incentive pre-qualification.
- Before November 30, 2025: Final incentive application submitted and system design locked. Systems must be in an approvable state to ensure the incentive is honored.
- Post-deadline: Some residual processing may occur, but missing the November 30 cutoff typically disqualifies the current year’s program.
(If you’re already late on design/engineering, prioritize a fast-turn assessment from USSE—early engagement can still salvage eligibility depending on how the program processes in the tail.)
3. Step-by-Step Action Plan
1. Confirm site & load profile
Provide interval or bill data to USSE. We model your daytime usage and identify optimal system size that maximizes capture of the incentive while matching load.
2. Pre-qualify incentive
Gather required documentation (utility account, property info, expected production) and submit the pre-application so Oncor's program flags your project ahead of final design.
3. Lock PPA & design
Finalize the PPA agreement and the engineering design so the system can be built and qualifies for the incentive before Nov 30.
4. Submit final incentive application
Ensure all required evidence of design and projected production is uploaded. USSE assists to avoid common submission errors that delay approval.
4. Illustrative Savings (Example)
Scenario: 150 kW rooftop system for a warehouse with blended utility rate of 12¢/kWh. Oncor incentive effectively reduces cost basis by ~15% on delivered energy. Paired with a PPA at 9.5¢/kWh, the business sees immediate positive cash flow and a hedge against utility inflation.
(Actual numbers vary—USSE builds the model off your actual interval data and shows pre- and post-incentive cash flow differences.)
5. FAQ & Common Pitfalls
A: Yes. The incentive is tied to the project; USSE structures the PPA such that the value flows into the rate or supplemental credit, preserving your no-CapEx model.
A: Most current-year programs close; you’d have to wait for the next cycle, losing immediate uplift. Fast-tracking design now is critical.
A: Yes—mismatched property IDs, incomplete production estimates, or missing load profiles cause delays. USSE reviews and pre-validates before submission.
Lock in the incentive before November 30
We’ll assess your site, model the PPA, and stitch the Oncor incentive into a custom rate that delivers immediate savings—no upfront cost required.
*Illustrative guidance. Final eligibility and amounts depend on Oncor program rules and site specifics.